Slip assembly for parallel tubing strings



June 15, 1965 H. w. OHAVER 3,188,708

' SLIP ASSEMBLY FOR PARALLEL TUBING STRINGS 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed March 12, 1962 moi? NM]! [64 /50 E m v m2 :l24l 96a 12: e9 a8 //2 O: I

I 2o 22 )mlmnh I X .56

\ I if g 2a 5a 1 32 mun .V/l/l/l/l/I/Q. mm [MM 22 mu\\\\\\\ 7 m .8

INVENTOR. Haws-e 1 14 O'HAV-P June 15, 1965 H. w; OHAVER 3,188,708

SLIP ASSEMBLY FOR PARALLEL TUBING STRINGS Filed March 12, 1962 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR. HaMe-e M OI /1W5? United States Patent M 3,188,708 SLIP ASSEMBLY FOR PARALLEL TUBING STRINGS Homer W. OHaver, Box 5073, Beaumont, Tex. Filed Mar. 12, 1962, Ser. No. 17 8,830 6 Claims. (Cl. 24-263) The present invention relate to oil wells, and more particularly, but not by way of limitation, relates to a slip assembly for supporting two parallel strings of tubing disposed in a common wellbore.

As is well known in the oil producing industry, circumstances sometimes exist which require the use of two separate, parallel tubing strings in the same wellbore. Forexample, two separate tubing strings may be utilized in a dual completion well; one tubing string being utilized for producing from one oil bearing formation, while the I other tubing string is utilized for producing from a sepatogether with the exhaust fluid from the subsurface fluid motor, back to the wellhead. One of the tubing strings is usually of substantially larger diameter than the other. Also, it will be evident that since the tubing strings are interconnected at the lower ends thereof by the pump unit, they must be inserted and removed from the wellbore simultaneously.

The conventional basic tools for running a single string of tubing into or out of a wellbore includes some elevating means for positioning a joint of the tubing in vertical alignment with the wellbore and for raising and lowering the string of tubing, and a set of slips are provided for suspending so much of the tubing string as may be disposed in the wellbore. The customary procedure for running a string into the wellbore entails raising the first joint of pipe by the elevator means and inserting it into the wellbore. The slips are then clamped around the joint of pipe to hold it suspended in the wellbore. The next joint of pipe is then raised by the elevator means into vertical alignment with the first joint of pipe and the two joints are threaded together. The slip means is then released and the two joints lowered into the well- *bore and the slip means reengaged to support both joints of pipe. The elevator means is then free to raise the next joint of pipe into vertical alignment where it can be connected to the two previous joints and all three joints then lowered. The successive joints in the tubing string are connected in this manner. Of course, the tubing string may be removed by reversing the steps.

This procedure is greatly complicated when two parallel strings of tubing are inserted in a common wellbore at the same time. The problem is particularly acute with regard to the slip means for supporting the parallel strings of tubing at the wellhead while the elevator means are being utilized to position two additional joints of pipe in vertical alignment. Heretofore, it has been common 3,188,798 Patented June 15, 1965 practice to utilize two separate sets of slip means disposed in a common tapered bowl means for supporting the separate tubing strings. The two sets of slips frequently become misaligned which sometimes results in crimping and bending of the pipe. The separate sets of slips present a formidable problem to the workers in that four separate parts must be manipulated each time that the slip means are engaged or disengaged. Some slip means heretofore used for holding the two tubing strings made provision for simultaneously engaging both strings at the same time. However, these slip means were capable of engaging only one size of pipe and therefore were very expensive in that a complete apparatus was required for each size of tubing or each combination of tubing sizes which might possibly be encountered. Of course, it will be appreciated that the number of slip assemblies required to run parallel tubing strings is greatly increased in that provision must be made for handling all possible combinations of tubing ize. For example, assuming that there were four standard sizes of tubing which might possibly be used in combination, then twelve slip assemblies would be required in order to provide for any possible combination of the two sizes.

Therefore, it is contemplated by the present invention to provide an improved slip assembly for simultaneously supporting two parallel strings of tubing at the wellhead. The slip assembly comprises generally a tapered bowl disposed around the tubing strings and supported by the rotary table or other suitable support means at the wellhead. A pair of complementary slip halves form, when placed together, a tapered slip body receivable in the tapered bowl. The slip halves form between their adjacent edges a pair of parallel passageways for receiving a pair of parallel tubing strings. In the preferred embodiment herein described, a plurality of frictional jaws are removably placed in the two parallel passageway means for gripping the tubing. When the bowl is placed around the tubing string and the slip halves placed in the bowl on opposite sides of the tubing strings with the tubing trings disposed in the passageways, the jaw means will grip the tubing with sufiicient friction to pull the slip halves downwardly and thereby wedge the frictional jaw means tightly against the tubing strings. It is also contemplated by the present invention to provide several novel and highly useful features of construction in a tubing slip assembly of the type described, which novel features of construction will hereafter become more evident.

Therefore, it is an important object of the present invention to provide an improved slip assembly for supporting a pair of parallel tubing strings.

Another important object of this invention is the provision of a slip assembly of the type described which may be used on a number of different sizes of pipe, and on any combination of these sizes of pipe.

Still another important object of the present invention is to provide a slip assembly of the type described which may be manipulated by a single worker and which may very easily be manipulated by two workers.

Yet another object of the present invention is to pro vide a slip assembly of the type described which will in all cases be maintained in aligned relationship, even when two parallel tubing strings of different diameters are being run.

manufactured and which is relatively lightweight yet exceedingly strong. I 7

Many a-dditional objects and advantages will be evident to those skilled in the art from the following detailed description and drawings, wherein: 7

FIG. 1 is a side elevation, partially broken away, of a tubing slip assembly constructed in accordance with the present invention, showing the slip members raised above the bowl member and disposed around two parallel tubing strings;

FIG. 2 is .an enlarged side view of the hinge structure,

of the bowl member of the apparatus of FIG. 1;

:FIG. 3 is a plan view of the bowlmember 'of the ap- The other end of the lower flange plate 58 is rounded at V '74, and' apertures 76 and 73 are provided in the upper para-tus of FIG. 1 showing some hidden details of con- Referring now to the drawings,,',and in particular to' FIG. 1, a tubing slip assembly, indicated generallyby the.

reference numeral lthis'comprised of a bowl member, indicated generally by the, reference numeral 12, and'a slip member, indicated generally by the reference numeral 14.} V The bowl member 12 is shown disposed on a'suitable plate" ,1

1'6, whichin practice usually will bethe turntableof a rotary drilling rig, or the cellar covering of. a completed well, as the case may be. posed over an aperture 18in the support plate 16, and

'around'two parallel strings of tubing20 and 22,- which are vertically disposed and extend downwardly into a wellb ore The bowl member 12 is comprised of two semicircular bowl'halves 24 and 26, as best seen in FIG. 3, and may be of substantially identical construction. The bowl half '24 is comprised of a semicircular, frusto conical sleeve half 28 having a semicircular upper flange plate 30 and a slightly larger semicircular lower flange plate 32 welded I around the upper and lower edges, respectively. Four ver-" ticallyvdisposed, radially extending gusset plates 34, 36, 38 and 40 are welded to the sleeve half 28 and to the upper and lower flange plates 30 and 32.for reinforcement purposes. A hinge body 42 'is welded to the gusset plate 46 and has a vertical bore 44 for receiving'a hinge pin 46 as hereinafter described in gr ater detail.

The other end of the lower semicircular flange plate 32 is rounded at 43 to permit the hinge hereafter described in greater detail to operate. A pair of apertures 50 and,

52, which are located by a single dotted circle in FIG. 3, are provided in the upper and lower flange plates30 and 32, respectively, and are vertically aligned to receive a hinge pin to be hereafter described. v It will be noted that no gusset plate is provided at theend ofthe upper and lower flange plates '39- and 32 adjacent the rounded corner 48 which would correspondto the gusset plate 40,

in order to permit operation of the hinge means presently l to be describ'ed.

The bowl half 26 is of substantially the same construction as the bowl half 24 and comprises a semicircular frusto conical sleeve half 54, a semicircular upper flange plate 56, a semicircular lower flange plate 58, and four vertically disposed, radially extending gusset plates 60, 62, 64- and 66 all interconnected substantially as described above in regard .to the construction of the bowl half 24.

The bowl half 26 also has a hinge body 68 connected to the gusset plate 66, which is substantially identical to the hinge body 42, and has a vertical bore'70 which is also located by the single dotted circle in FIG. 3. A second hinge pin 72 is inserted through the bores '76, 44 and 7-8;

The bowl member 12 ,is dis-- i halves 28 and 54 of the bowl member. 12.

i and lower semicircular flange plates 56'and 58, respectively, as bestlshown by dot-ted'outline in FIG. 2. Th upper and lower plates 56a'nd 58 may be thickened at .5611. and 58a to reinforce the respective flange plates around the apertures.

Of course, the upper and lower plates 30 and 32 of the bowl half 24 may also be thickened (not shown) in .a'similar manner around the apertures 59 and S2 for reinforcement purposes. a l When'the bowl halves 24' and 26 are positioned substantiallyas shown in FIG. 3 and the hinge pins 46 and 2 inserted through the bores 76, 44 and 78, and through the bores-50, 70 and 52, respectively, a ring structure having greattensile strength will be provided. The sleeve halves 2'8 and 54 will form a frusto conical tapered bowl having a largerfdiameter atthe'top and a smaller diameter-at the bottom; The hinge pins 46 and 72 preferably are merely dropped into the respective aligned bores. However, if desired, the lowerendsof the pins 46 and 72 may. be threaded into the bores'i and 52 in the lower .may conveniently be fabricated from a semicylindricat body '83 having a slight'ta-per, as indicatedby the reference numeral 89 in FIG. 1.". Four longitudinally extending tapered ribs as, 92, )4- and'96 may be welded at equally spaced points around the periphery of the body 88. I Th outer surfaces 99a, 92a, 94a and 96a of the four ribs are preferably normal to a .plane extending radially from the axis of the slip member 14 through each of the'ribs and aretapered to a degree corresponding to the degree of taper of the bowl formed. by the frusto conical sl eve Therefore, it will 'be noted that the tapered surfaces 90a, 92a, 94a

' and 96a lie substantially in an imaginary frusto conical The slip half 82 may be of identical construction an comprisesa body 194, vertically disposed, radially extend ing ribs 106, 108, .110 and"1'12, having outer surfaces 1%611, 163a, 110a and 112d which also lie in a common frusto conical surface, and concave grooves 114, 116 and 118. Whenj-the slip halves $0 and 82 are placed in abutting or near abutting relationship substantially as'shown in FIG..4, the outer surfaces of the eight ribs form a frusto conical body having a taper corresponding to that of the bowl formed by the sleeves 28 and 54." The larger diameter of the tapered body of'the slip member14 is preferably only slightly greater than the larger diameter of the bowl formed by the sleeves 28 and 54.

A pair of parallel bores 120 and 122 are formed be- I tween the mating slip halves and 82... The bores and 122 areprovided with 'counterbores 123 and 124 which'form shoulders 125 and 126 at the lower ends of the bores 120 and 122. It will be noted that the counterbores 123 and 124 are of constant diameter. A pair of dovetail keyways'128 and 130are provided in .the 'slip half body 88 adjacent the counterbores 123 and 124, respectively. Similar dovetailed keyways 132 and 134 are formed in the slip half body 104 adjacent the bores 12% and .122, respectively. A tapped bore 136 is provided in the top of the body 88, and a similar tapped bore 138 is provided in the top of the body 104 for purposes hereafter described;

t bowl formed by the sleeves 28 and 54.

in this instance would serve as a pivot pin.

A plurality of adapter members, one of which is shown in FIG. 5 and is indicated generally by the reference numeral 140, are positioned in the counterbores 123 and 124, as best seen in FIGS. 1 and 6. Each adapter memher 140 is comprised of a generally semicyclindrical body 142 having an outer diameter 144 corresponding to the diameter of the counterbores 123 and 134, and an elongated dovetailed key 146 adapted to be received in the dovetailed keyways 128, 130, 132 and 134. The internal diameter 148 is selected to correspond to the particular diameter of the tubing which is to be handled, and may be provided with a plurality of teeth in order to increase the frictional grip on the tubing as hereafter described. The adapter members 140 are inserted in the counterbores 123 and 124 with the keys 146 received in the respective keyways 128, 130, 132 and 134. In the embodiment described and illustrated, usually six adapter members 140, three in each keyway, will be disposed in each of the counterbores 123 and 124, although only two are shown in FIG. 1.

Referring now to FIG. 6, the lever member 84 is comprised of a center plate section 150 and oppositely extending tubular handles 152 and 154 which may be welded to the center plate section 158. The lever member 86 is comprised of a similar center plate section 156 and a single tubular handle 158 which may be welded to the center plate section 156. The lever member 86 is pivotally connected to the lever member 84 by a pin 160 which passes through apertures in overlapping ears 162 and 164 formed on the center plate sections 156 and 156 respectively. The center plate sections 150 and 156 may be generally semicircular in shape but preferably have flattened portions 166 and 168, respectively, for

alignment purposes hereafter described. The center plate section 150 preferably has two arcuate cutouts 174 and 176 in the center plate section 156 to form circular apertures for receiving the tubing strings and 22 when the lever members are in the closed position shown in FIG. 6. Apertures 1'78 and 180, shown in dotted outline in FIG. 6, are provided in the center plate sections 150 and 156, respectively, for receiving bolts 182 and 184, respectively. The bolts 182 and 184 are threaded into the threaded bores 136 and 138, respectively, in the slip halves 80 and 82. In this respect, it will be noted that the apertures 178 and 180 are slightly larger in diameter than the bolts 182 and 184 in order to provide a loose fit for alignment purposes hereafter described in greater detail. It should also be noted that the ribs 92 and 94 preferably extend slightly above the upper face of the slip half body 88, and that the ribs 108 and 110 similarly extend slightly above the upper face of the slip half body 104. This feature can be seen in FIG. 1 in connection with the ribs 110 as indicated by the reference numeral 185. It will also be noted that the center plate I sections 151) and 156 cover the dovetailed keyways 128,

130, 132 and 134, so as to retain the adapter members 140 in their respective positions.

Operation 7 -When utilizing the slip assembly 18 for running two parallel tubing strings in a single wellbore, the bowl member 12 is placed in alignment with the wellbore with the lower flanges 32 and 58 resting on the turntable or other suitable support plate 16. In this regard, it will be noted'that the wide flanges 32 and 58, which are reinforced by the several gusset plates, readily engage the supporting plate 16 even when the aperture 18 is considerably larger than the smallest diameter of the If the tubing strings 20 and 22 are already standing in the wellbore, suchas when the tubing strings are suspended from the elevator of a drawworks, the hinge pin 46, for example,

. may be removed and the bowl halves 24 and 26 opened to be placed around the tubing string. The hinge pin 72 After the bowl halves 24 and 26 have been positioned around the tubing strings and closed, the pin 46 may then be reinserted in the aligned bores 76, 44 and 78 tomake an integral bowl structure.

Next, the bolts 182 and 184 are removed so as to separate the slip halves 80 and 82 from the lever members 84 and 86. The adapter members 140 of the proper internal diameter corresponding to the diameter of the tubing strings 20 and 22 may be inserted in the several dovetailed keyways. In this regard, it will be noted that six adapter members 140 of substantially any size may be positioned in the counterbore 123, while six more adapter members 140 of the same or any other size may be positioned in the counterbore 124. Of course, the maximum size of the pipe which may be handled is limited by the diameter of the bores and 122. The annular shoulders and 126 will support the adapter members 148 and also the weight of the tubing strings as hereafter described.

The lever members 84 and 86 can then be positioned with the center plate sections 150 and 156 above the slip halves 8t) and 82, and the bolts 182 and 184 passed through the bores 178 and 188 in the center plate sections and threaded into the bores 136 and 138 in the slip halves. The center portions 150 and 156 will then cover the several dovetailed keyways 128, 130, 132 and 134 and will effectively retain the adapter members in their proper positions and provide a means for easily lifting the slip member 14 from the bowl member 12 as hereafter described. As previously mentioned, the apertures 178 and 188 are slightly larger than the bolts 182 and 184 so as to provide a somewhat loose fit between the lever members 84 and 86 and the slip halves 80 and 82 in order to permit automatic aligning adjustments as the slip halves are lowered into the bowl member. However, since the upper ends of the ribs 92, 94, 108 and 110 extend slightly above the upper faces of the bodies 88 and 184, the ribs will engage the flattened sides 166 and 168 of the center plate sections and will prevent the slip halves 8t) and 82 from rotating excessively above the bolts 182 and 184 relative to the lever members 84 and 86.

Next, the slip halves 80 and 82 are positioned on opposite sides of the tubing strings 20 and 22 and lowered into the tapered bowl member 12, substantially as shown in the schematic diagram of FIG. 7. Manipulation of the slip halves 8t) and 82 is facilitated by the handles 152, 154 and 158 of the pivotally interconnected lever mem bers 84 and 86. Each of the tubing strings 20 and 22 is received between the several adapter members 140 positioned in the counterbores 123 and 124. The weight of the slip member 14 in the tapered bowl member 12 forces the slip halves 80 and 82 against the tubing strings 20 and 22. As the elevators are lowered to release the tubing strings 28 and 22, the frictional grip of the toothed adapter members 148 on the tubing strings will be sufficient that a considerable additional downward force will be exerted on the slip halves 80 and 82 to more tightly wedge the toothed adapter members 140 against the tubing strings. The greater the Weight of the tubing strings, the greater the downward force exerted on the slip halves 88 and 82, and the greater the force exerted by the tapered bowl member 12 to wedge the adapter members 140 of the slip halves 80 and 82 against the tubing strings. The slip assembly 10 will then support the entire weight of the tubing strings 20 and 22 and the elevators can be released to raise the next two joints of pipe into vertical alignment for connection to the tubing strings; or two joints of pipe may be disconnected and stored preparatory to raising the tubing strings to disconnect two more joints of pipe.

When it is desired to release the slip assembly 10, the tubing strings 28 and 22 are raised by the elevators, preferably to a height such that the lower ends of the slip halves 80 and 82 will clear the upper flanges 30 and 56. The handles 152 and 158-may be manually pressed to- 'gether with suflicient force that the toothed adapter mem- :bers140' will gripthe;pipe.- The force on the, adapter =rnembers 140 will betransr'nitted through the center plate sections 150 and 156 and bolts 182 and 184 to the slip halves;- 80 and- 82, and the slip member 14 will be raised upwardly'with the tubing strings.- The handles 152 and 158 may then quickly be spread apart, which due to the pivot pin 160, will spread the slip halves 8t) and 8-2 where they will rest on the upper flanges 30 and 56.- The tub -ingstrings 20- and- 22 can then be raised or lowered.

through the bowl-member 12 as desired. When the {tubing strings 2t} and Bare in such a position that it is -again desired to again support the strings by the slip assembly 10, the handles 152 and 158 are merelyrnoved together and the slip halves 80 and 82 will then drop intoI the tapered bowl of the bowl member'12 to wedge against and support the tubing strings Hand 22 as previously describedl- Sincethe levermembers 84 and 86 are pivotally interconnected, and the slip halves 80 and 82 are loosely connected to the lever members by the bolts "182 and .184.

tion between=the lever members 84 and 86 and the slip. halves 80 and 82 assures that the slip halves will quickly-3 align as necessary in order for the toothed adapter members' 140 to'properly grip the tubing strings 20 and-22. V r from the above detailed description, it, will be evident that a very economical slip assembly has'been disclosed "which is very easy to'manipulate and, in fact, may be manipulated by-a single skilled worker. The slip assem- 8 tape red bore and the bowl means will forcethe slip J halves tightly against the opposite sides of the tubing strings toigripand'support the tubing strings. 2. A dualJtubing string slipassembly as defined in claim 1 further characterized by:

a 'k-eyway in each of the'slip 'halves associated with each of the passagewaysmnd wherein: 1 -"the 'means disposed in each? of' the passageways for grippinga cylindricalmember positioned in the passageways comprise semicir'cular adapter members having a key means received in therespective keyways. I 3'. A dual tubing string slip assembly as'defined in I claim 1 wherein:

'andare maintained in proper alignment by the upper ends of the ribs 92, 94, 108- and 110, the slip halves are easily inserted'in the tapered bowl. However, the loose conneceach'of the passagewaysformed by the-complementary sleeve halves is cylindrical in shape',-and the assembly is further characterized by, v a dovetailed keyway in each slip half extending from the top of the'resp ective slip half parallel to each of the'passageways, t .j V and a plurality ofsemici rcular adapter members posij tioned in the passageways andjhaving dovetailed keys received in the keywaysl Y 4. A dual tubing string slip assembly as defined in claim 3 further characterized byf V V means'on each ofthe :slip halves adjacent .the lower ends of each of the passageways for supporting the V "adapter members, and wherein Y the lever members loosely'connectedto the top of each of the' slip-halves cover the dovetailedkeyways of the respective slip half. V 5. A slip assembly for supporting two parallel strings of'tubing comprising:

be utilized to work two parallel tubing strings of virtually any size, or of any combination of sizes. Further, the- --slip assembly 10 is of very strongand rugged, yet lightweight, construction and embodies the many features as described above which promote easy. and eflicientoperation. a

5 Having thus described a preferred embodiment'of my invention, it is to be understood that various changes, alterationsand substitutions can be made therein without-- departing from the spirit 'and scope of my invention as defined by the appendedclaims.

' I-claim: p s 1; A slip -assembly'for supporting two parallel'strings of tubing comprising:

open-topped=bowl means forming a-circular tapered bowl having a vertically-disposed axis and a larger diameter at the top than at the bottom, a pair of complementary slip halves forming a frusto conical'body having an axis corresponding to the axis; of the'taperedboreflhe bodyhaving alargerdiamet er at the top and'a smaller diameter at the bottom, thelarger diameter of the body being greater than --the smaller diameter of the tapered bore, the pair of complementary'slip halves forming a pair of- -passagewaystherebetween, theaxes of the passageways: being generally parallel to the axis of the V taper'ed body;

-'-means-connected to the slip halves'and disposed in each ceived in the passageways; the'weight of the tubing stringswillpull the'slip halves downwardly in the an open-topped bowl meansforrriinga vertically disposed, tapered bore, the "tapered bOre bein g larger at the top than atthebottom for receiving a pair of complementary 'slip halves throughj-the1top of'the bore, 7 a I a pair of complementary slip halves receivable in the tapered bore, the slip halves collectively forming a 1 tapered body the lower end of which issmaller than the top of the tapered bore of the bowl means and the 'top of which is greater indiameter than the bottom ofthe tapered bore, 7 the-complementary slip halves-forming, when-in com- I plernentary relationship, a pair of'parallel cylindrical passageways with longitudinally extending dovetailed 1 keyways' extendingtherealong and having flange -means adjacent the bottom thereof for supporting a load, a plurality ofadapters resting on the flange means and having dovetailed keys positioned in the I respective keyways and forming parallel passageways forreceiving and gripping a pair of parallel tubing -strings, p I lever ar'm means connected ,to-each of the slip halves for-liftingthe slip halves from the bowl, the lever arm'means' having plate. portions disposed over the respective key-ways to retain the adapter members in position, and l 7 means pivotally interconnecting the ends of the lever arm ;means'for lifting the slip halves from" the bowl means and separating the-slip halves from around the tubing strings, 7 whereby whenthe bowl means is supported-around a pair of vertically disposedtubing strings and the slip halves are placed in the tapered bore on opposite sides of the tubing strings with the tubing strings received in the passageways; the weight of the tubing strings will pull the ,slip halves downwardly in "the, tapered bore andtthe bowl means will force the "slip halves tightlyi against the opposite sides of the tubing strings to grip and support thetubing strings. 6; A slip assembly for 'supporting two parallel strings of tubing as defined in claim 5 wherein: 'the taperedbodyformedxby' the complementary'slip 9 halves is formed by vertically disposed, radially-extending ribs for engaging the tapered bore of the bowl means.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,443,673 1/23 Black 24263.5 1,508,882 9/24 Hosmer 24263.5 1,550,496 8/25 Boughner.

1,684,974 9/28 Shaffer 24-263.5 1,708,322 4/29 Pearce 24-263.5 2,001,946 5/35 Tschappat 166-88 X 2,153,770 4/39 Nixon 24-263.5

1 0 Tschappat 166-88 X Penick et a1. Penick et a1. Nixon 24-263.5 Pearce 24-263.5 X Davis 16675 Lane 24-2635 FOREIGN PATENTS France.

M. HENSON WOOD, 111., Primary Examiner.

DONLEY J. STOCKING, Examiner. 

1. A SLIP ASSEMBLY FOR SUPPORTING TWO PARALLEL STRINGS OF TUBING COMPRISING: OPEN-TOPPED BOWL MEANS FORMING A CIRCULAR TAPERED BOWL HAVING A VERTICALLY DISPOSED AXIS AND A LARGER DIAMETER AT THE TOP THAN AT THE BOTTOM, A PAIR OF COMPLEMENTARY SLIP HALVES FORMING A FRUSTO CONICAL BODY HAVING AN AXIS CORRESPONDING TO THE AXIS OF THE TAPERED BORE, THE BODY HAVING A LARGER DIAMETER AT THE TOP AND A SMALLER DIAMETER AT THE BOTTOM, THE LARGER DIAMETER OF THE BODY BEING GREATER THAN THE SMALLER DIAMETER OF THE TAPERED BORE, THE PAIR OF COMPLEMENTARY SLIP HALVES FORMING A PAIR OF PASSAGEWAYS THEREBETWEEN, THE AXES OF THE PASSAGEWAYS BEING GENERALLY PARALLEL TO THE AXIS OF THE TAPERED BODY; MEANS CONNECTED TO THE SLIP HALVES AND DISPOSED IN EACH OF THE PASSAGEWAYS FOR GRIPPING A JOINT OF TUBING POSITIONED IN THE RESPECTIVE PASSAGEWAYS AND, A PAIR OF PIVOTALLY INTERCONNECTED LEVER MEMBERS, ONE LEVER MEMBER BEING LOOSELY CONNECTED TO THE UPPER END OF EACH OF THE COMPLEMENTARY SLIP HALVES, WHEREBY WHEN THE BOWL MEANS IS SUPPORTED AROUND A PAIR OF VERTICALLY DISPOSED TUBING STRINGS AND THE SLIP HALVES ARE PLACED IN THE TAPERED BOWL ON OPPOSITE SIDES OF THE TUBING STRINGS WITH THE TUBING STRINGS RECEIVED IN THE PASSAGEWAYS, THE WEIGHT OF THE TUBING STRINGS WILL PULL THE SLIP HALVES DOWNWARDLY IN THE TAPERED BORE AND THE BOWL MEANS WILL FORCE THE SLIP HALVES TIGHTLY AGAINST THE OPPOSITE SIDES OF THE TUBING STRINGS TO GRIP AND SUPPORT THE TUBING STRINGS. 